MIAMI GARDENS — I like flattening false narratives much more than Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa love knocking them down.
So right here’s a false narrative I’ll knock down proper now: These Dolphins can’t win in chilly climate.
Within the McDaniel-Tua period, which began in 2022, there have solely been three video games through which the temperature was 45 levels or colder — for this objective, a “chilly climate recreation” — at kickoff. That’s a small pattern measurement.
Sure, the Dolphins are 0-3 in these video games, shedding at Buffalo (32-29) within the common season of 2022, shedding at Buffalo (34-31) within the playoffs of 2022 and shedding at Kansas Metropolis (26-7) within the playoffs of 2023.
However there’s an asterisk.
I’ll clarify quickly.
Right here’s the reality: Within the McDaniel-Tua period, the Dolphins don’t battle due to chilly climate.
Within the McDaniel-Tua period, the Dolphins battle as a result of they’re taking part in good groups on the street late within the season. If it occurs to be chilly, nicely, that’s simply circumstance.
In different phrases, it’s not the temperature that makes the Dolphins stumble, relatively it’s the standard of the opponent, location of the sport and time of the yr.
Consequently, the massive problem for the Dolphins (5-6) on Thursday at Inexperienced Bay (8-3) received’t be the anticipated 20-something diploma temperature at Lambeau Discipline, it’ll be the truth that the Dolphins are taking part in an excellent crew on the street in late November.
As for the asterisk relating to the three chilly climate losses, all three “chilly climate video games” had been towards Buffalo or Kansas Metropolis, groups that personal the Dolphins within the McDaniel-Tua period whatever the temperature, location or time of yr.
Kansas Metropolis is 2-0 towards these McDaniel-Tua Dolphins, and Buffalo is 6-1 towards these McDaniel-Tua Dolphins.
On a facet observe, the Dolphins misplaced to Inexperienced Bay 26-20 at Onerous Rock Stadium on Christmas in 2022, however the temperature was 46 levels at kickoff so, by one diploma, it doesn’t qualify as “chilly climate” for this objective.
However once more, with the McDaniel-Tua Dolphins, it’s not the temperature relatively it’s the opponent, location and time of yr.
I despise false narratives.
Again after I lined the Miami Warmth there was a false narrative concerning the so-called “South Seaside flu.”
Because the story goes, opponents come right down to play the Warmth and go loopy on South Seaside the evening earlier than the sport, thus rendering them ineffective by tipoff and paving the way in which for a straightforward Warmth victory.
Truthfully, it’s an outright lie, a false narrative, faux information. Take your decide.
Former Warmth coach Stan Van Gundy was on my facet. He mentioned successful comes right down to expertise, not voodoo or dangerous conduct by opponents. I agree 100%.
Van Gundy went on a rant in the future through which he principally mentioned he’d been a Warmth assistant coach with groups that received 50-some video games and groups that received 30-some video games.
He mentioned visiting gamers went out on a regular basis.
Van Gundy accurately concluded visiting groups misplaced in Miami when the Warmth was good, and visiting groups received in Miami when the Warmth was dangerous. It had nothing to do with late nights on South Seaside.
Van Gundy additionally accurately identified gamers exit in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and different main cities. They keep out till the wee hours of the morning there.
However the “South Seaside flu” narrative caught as a result of individuals like to affiliate late nights on South Seaside with Warmth dwelling victories.
That brings me again to the “Dolphins can’t win in chilly climate” false narrative.
It’s handy to hawk a story {that a} South Florida soccer crew can’t win in chilly climate. I don’t recall that narrative current through the Don Shula years, or the Dan Marino years, or, switching to varsity soccer, through the stretch when the College of Miami was successful 5 nationwide titles.
The factor to bear in mind is the most effective crew goes to win Thursday’s Thanksgiving recreation between the Dolphins and Packers.
And no matter whether or not the Dolphins win or lose at Inexperienced Bay, the temperature at kickoff received’t be a significant factor within the recreation’s end result, no matter what individuals select to consider.